CV and Statement of Purpose Writing
Workshop
(Trainee Manual)
By
Asmaa Shaei Alshuaifan, Ed.D
Assistant Professor, English Teaching Methodologies and Curriculum
College of Education
Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University
1
Introduction
This CV workshop that has been developed for the National Career Day at Princess Noura Bint
Abdulrahman University. It is easy to use, effective and inexpensive. The CV workshop focuses
on educational skills and work experiences as well as other qualifications such as social skills.
The goal is to empower female job seekers when it comes to be more aware of qualifications and
make it easier to apply for a job.
The program has been developed and tested as a broad approach to the labor market for job
seekers. But this tool can also be effective with specific professions. By way of example I may
mention a program where female job seekers with variant skills were introduced to the Saudi
labor market. On that occasion, The National Career Day Committee has implemented the CV
workshop in the project.
At the end of this work shop, You will be able to write a powerful CV tailored to your own
unique skills, and you will be able to write a strong Statement of Purpose (SoP) for your
academic aspirations.
We wish you the best of luck with the materials and look forward to learning about your
experiences with the process as well.
Best Regards,
Asmaa Alshuaifan, Ed.D
Assistant Professor in Teaching English and Curriculum Design
College of Education
Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University
E-mail: [email protected]
2
(Handout 1)
Getting Started
To warm up and get your mind working try the following exercise
The nine-dots puzzle
What to do:
Look at the pattern of the nine dots below on this page. Your task is to
join all nine dots with four straight lines, without lifting your pen off the
paper.
You have five minutes to complete the exercise.
*.
*.
*.
*.
*.
*.
*.
*.
*.
3
(Handout 2)
Curriculum Vitae
SETH KIZITO
Strandgade 100, E, 1401 Kobenhavn K
Tel: 32 96 00 58
E-mail: [email protected]
Gender
Date of Birth
Nationality
Marital Status
: Male
: 14-09-75
: Ugandan
: Single
WORK EXPERIENCE
2000-2001
IT Support staff, Instruments Support Company, Uganda
- Installation and configuration of imported computers
- Training bank staff to use software
-Troubleshooting
1999-2000
Head of Mathematics department Zana High School
-In charge of administration of timetables
-Addressing problems of teachers & students
-Organizing seminars
1998-1999
Sales executive, Monitor Publications
-Selling educational & teaching materials
-Identifying customers’ needs
1998
Sales executive
-Marketing
UN-PAID, VOLUNTARY WORK
2001 -2002
1997-1999
Red Cross Culture House, London
-Developing a course on British Society & teaching on the course
-General admin duties, taking minutes of meetings, filling reports
Family Planning Association in Uganda
-Peer educator/counselor
-Providing health education and AIDS education
EDUCATION
1996 – 1999
1994 – 1996
Bachelor of Science with Education (Honours), Makerere University Kampala,
Uganda
Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education, St. Mathias Kalemba Secondary
School
4
1990 – 1993
Uganda Certificate of Secondary Education, Old Kampala Secondary School
COURSES
1997 – 2002
On-line computer courses
Windows XP professional at mastery level
Windows 2000 professional at mastery level
Windows 2000 professional server
Windows 2000 security design
Windows NT 4 workstation
Windows NT 4 Server
Networking essentials
Microsoft office 2000
OTHER INFORMATION
Languages
Swahili
English
Oral
Fluent
Fluent
Written
Excellent
Excellent
HOBBIES
My interests include literature, swimming, watching football, current affairs and listening to
music
PERSONAL SKILLS
I am highly innovative, hardworking and adaptable to any environment and quick to learn any
new skills with commitment.
REFEREES
Mr. Wayden Francis
P.O. Box 121 Serowe-Bostwana
Tel: +2675689324
Professor Kahwa Lindo
Senior Lecturer, Makererre University
Department of Physics
P.O. Box 76 Kampala- Uganda
5
(Handout 3)
Your personality What sort of person are you?
How would you describe yourself?
Many people answer this question by saying what work they do and maybe something about
their education and training. This is certainly a good way to start, but for the purposes of writing
your CV you will have to think more precisely about your knowledge, skills and attitudes
(qualities) as they relate to your job, about the way you interact with others and about your
general personality.
1. In relation to your job (the professional sphere)
Job-specific qualities
Can you think of the qualities that are specific to the job you do, for example: Teachers have
knowledge about their subject, skills to explain things and a caring attitude towards their pupils.
Accountants know about the legal requirements for keeping accurate accounts, they have good
mathematical skills and personal attitudes such that they like their work to be orderly and
precise. Shopkeepers have a knowledge of the products they sell, skills to display the products
attractively and helpful attitudes towards their customers.
General qualities
Can you think of some of the general qualities that relate to all jobs, for example:






Knowledge about labor unions and Danish labor relations – do you know your rights?
Organizational Skills – can you organize your weekly tasks?
Analytical Skills – can you identify the causes of problems and find solutions?
Skills to manage finance – Can you set and stick to a budget?
Attitudes of reliability – do you arrive on time? Do you like seeing a job well done?
Adaptability – do you worry when the routine is changed?
2. Interacting with other people (interpersonal skills)
All jobs involve getting on with other people and therefore it is worthwhile spending extra time
thinking about your interpersonal skills. For example:
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


Diplomacy - are you able to take into account other people’s ideas when putting forward
your own?
Motivational skills - are you able to inspire others?
Setting one’s limits - if you believe that your work load is too much, would you mention
it to your supervisor?
Communication skills – are you a good listener?
3. Personal attitudes and values
Being aware of your personal attitudes and values is also relevant to how well you do your job.
For example:
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

Values - Do you hold strong views? Do you feel offended by others who have different
values?
Self-discipline - do you persevere even if the task is boring or difficult?
Self-confidence – do you feel at ease speaking up at meetings?
Honesty – How easy is it for you to admit to making mistakes?
7
(Handout 4)
Aspects of your personality – key points
All aspects are equally important
It is important to be strong in the professional, interpersonal and personal aspects.
Many people find it difficult to confront their weaknesses and prefer to improve on those aspects
where they are already strong. It is possible if you are only strong in one or two areas that you
may nonetheless still achieve some degree of success in your work. Indeed, if you are brilliant
professionally, you can probably afford to be less brilliant on the other two levels.
So why bother trying to develop those weaker levels?
One has to consider of the importance of teamwork in the workplace. If you are brilliant, but
with limited personal and interpersonal skills, then you’ll be kept away from the group and will
find it hard to make contacts and form networks both inside and outside of the organization.
Such relationships are important for a high standard of work. Thus even if you are truly brilliant
at what you do you will need all three levels.
All three levels are inter-linked
The process of developing our personalities is on-going. As well as being equally important all
aspects are interlinked. We need to give attention to all aspects, both individually and together.
You are a whole person, the aspects of your personality are interrelated
For example, if you are weak in one aspect, for example your interpersonal skills, then even
though your personal and professional skills are good you may not get a job. Then, if you do not
get a job your professional skills will become “rusty” – they will suffer because you are not
practising them. Furthermore at the personal level you will become depressed and loose selfconfidence
However, when you improve on one aspect, for example you improve your professional
knowledge and skills your self-confidence increases and make you able to offer your opinion at
meetings.
8
(Handout 5)
Thinking about your skills – Exercise One
When it comes to writing a CV it is important to include more information than just your
professional skills. Employers highly value other general skills including those that fall under the
headings of interpersonal and personal skills, which can be applied to a variety of situations in
the workplace.
The purpose of this exercise is to help you become more aware of your interpersonal and
personal skills through thinking about how you operate in the workplace, both in terms of your
own work and how you interact with other people.
What to do?
Choose one of the options
 How do I react when I am given a new task?
 How do I make my opinion known to others?
Use the boxes below to help you reflect on the experience and prepare to tell the rest of the group
about the experience.
Option 1 – How do I react when I am given a new task?
Think back to a time when you started a new job and were given your first assignment or task.
How did you feel when you started a new job. (For example: Were you excited or nervous?)
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b: How did you go about handling your first task? (For example: Did you ask your supervisors/
co-workers/ subordinates for help? Did you try to do it alone? Did you see it as a challenge or
did it worry you?)
C: What happened? (For example: Did you solve the task? Was it stressful?)
d: How did you get along with your new co-workers? (For example: Did it take you long before
you felt you were a part of the group?; Did you make an effort to get to know your co-workers?
Did your co-workers make you feel welcome?)
e: What Qualities did you need to succeed when presented with your first task in a new job? (For
example: Which interpersonal skills? Which personal characteristics
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Option 2: How do I make my opinion known to others?
Think back to a time when you had to speak up for yourself and express your own opinion.
a: Tell the group about a time in your life when you made your opinion known to others.
(For example: What was the situation? Why did you have to speak up? Who was involved?
Were you confident or nervous?)
b: How did the others react? (For example: Do you think that was a fair reaction?)
C: How did you react? (For example: Did you work harder? Did you get angry? Did you say
nothing?)
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d: What happened? (For example: Did things get better? Did things get worse?)
e: What could you have done instead?
12
(Handout 6)
Thinking about your skills- Exercise Two
The purpose of this exercise is to help you become more aware of the interpersonal and personal
skills, which are relevant in relation to your specific profession and how they could be
transferred to other contexts.
For example:
Profession: Doctor
Task: Performing surgery
Interpersonal Skills:
Transferable to
Leadership skills
Management
Team player
Management
Personal Skills:
Transferable to
Concentration
Research, report writing
Composure
Conflict resolution, public relations
What to do
Think about your profession or job and select two tasks that are part of your job. List a number
of interpersonal and personal skills that are necessary in order that you complete the tasks
effectively.
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Profession………………………………………..
Task 1…………………………………………….
Interpersonal Skills:
Transferable to
Personal Skills:
Transferable to
Task 2 ………………………………………………………………
Interpersonal Skills:
Transferable to
Personal Skills:
Transferable to
14
(Handout 7)
Thinking about your skills- Exercise Three
When you apply for a new job, the new manager is primarily interested in what you will be able
to do for the organization, i.e. what duties have you had and what key skills you will be able to
bring from your previous employment. Some examples are computer skills, organizational skills,
administrative skills, leadership skills, sales experience and the ability to work in a team.
Everyone has key skills that they have developed through experience, for example through
previous employment, voluntary work, education and leisure activities. You will already be
aware of some of these skills, but there are others that you may not (yet) be aware of.
It is important to be aware of these key skills when you are writing your CV. You should bear in
mind that because not all skills are equally important for each job you will need to select those
that are most relevant to the particular job you are applying for and to adapt it into your CV
accordingly.
The purpose of this exercise is to identify the duties you had the key skills you have developed.
The end product should be a complete list of your duties and key skills, which you will be able to
use when writing your CV.
The Following is a brief example:
Work Experience:
What did I do?
I served in a shop
What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?
Handling money
Stock taking
Opening/Locking up
Dealing with customers in
person
Necessary skills/qualities
Calculating change, honesty,
banking, writing receipts.
Computer skills/ use of Excel,
accuracy
Reliability, trustworthy
Friendliness, interpersonal
communication skills,
problem solving skills
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Unpaid or Voluntary Work Experience:
What did I do?
I worked in the Culture House
Project Department
What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?
Writing agendas and minutes
meetings
Answering phone calls/ taking
messages
Filing
Necessary skills/qualities
Computer skills
Reliability, communication
skills
Sense of order
From During Education & Training:
What did I do?
1. Wrote for a university
paper
What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?
Meeting deadlines
Necessary skills/qualities
Reporter for college sports
fixtures
Communication skills, writing
skills, analyzing relevant
information
Word processing and Photo
Shop
Group work skills, patience
Assisted with layout
2. Member of the College
band
4th trombone
Attending rehearsals
Suggesting music to play
Reliability, responsibility
Reliability, time keeping,
encouraging others
Imagination, creativity
Hobbies and Interests:
What did I do?
Played for the local football
team
What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?
Team Captain
Necessary skills/qualities
Team selection
.Motivational skills, group
work skills
Organizational skills
Organizing fixtures
Communicative skills
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Work Experience:
What did I do?
What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?
Necessary skills/qualities
Unpaid or Voluntary Work Experience:
What did I do?
What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?
Necessary skills/qualities
From During Education & Training:
What did I do?
What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?
Necessary skills/qualities
17
Hobbies and Interests:
What did I do?
What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?
Necessary skills/qualities
18
(Handout 8)
Common Mistakes Exercise
The presentation of a CV is very important.
It is important that the presentation does not work against the content; no one
is going to believe that you are a conscientious person who takes pride in their
work if your CV is a mess.
The purpose of this exercise is to make you more aware of frequently made
mistakes so that they can be avoided, notably when updating your CV after this
workshop.
How to do the exercise:
In the common mistakes exercises 1 and 2 circle all the mistakes you can find.
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Common Mistakes Exercise 1
Curriculum Vitae
Personal details
Name:
Address:
Tel:
Per Hansen
Svanevej 19, 2770 Kastrup
32507564
Work experience
1980-85
Worked in the Ministry of Traffic
1986/87
A training course in oral presentation
1985Emplyed by Municipality in Riyadh. My position was in the department of
administration
Education
1971
Graduated from High school. Average 60%
1980
MA in Politics from the University of Washington, GPA 3.5
Hobbies
I watch a lot of videos. I also have a special interest in tropical fish.
Languages
I speak very good english.
French
High school level.
20
Common Mistakes Exercise 2
CURRICULUM
VITAE
NAME: PER HANSEN
ADRESS: SVANEVEJ 19, 2770 KASTRUP
32567892
Work EXPERIENCE
1985-
Employed by the municipality in Riyadh as an administration consultant.
My position was in the department of administration.
EDUCATION
1980
MA in politics from the University of Washington. Specialized in
Public administration
1971
Graduated from High School
LANGUAGES
English
French
Negotiation (written or oral?)
Understanding (written and oral) *unclear level
MISCELLANIOUS
1986-87
A training course in oral presentation.
INTERESTS
I a specific interest in movies as an artistic expression. I also study tropical fish
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CURRICULUM VITAE
PER HANSEN
Svanevej 19, 2770 Kastrup
Tel: 32 50 65 94
E-mail: [email protected]
Gender:
Date of Birth:
Nationality:
Marital Status:
Male
24-10-59
Danish
Single
WORK EXPERIENCE
Jan 1990-
Administration Consultant, Dragør Municipality
 Responsible for annual evaluation of the overall management
strategy within the department of administration.
 Answered general inquiries from Dragør residents.
 Conducted research on current issues relating to the
relationship between the state and the municipalities. This
research formed the basis of future projects.
Jan 1985-Jan 1990
Office administrator, Ministry of Transport department of public
transportation
 Liaison between the public and the ministry.
 Project leader for various projects including an international
working group on the development of public transportation.
EDUCATION
1979 – 1985
1982 – 1983
M.A. Politics University of Copenhagen
 Thesis: “An efficiency analysis of the public health system in
Odense”
Exchange student University of Texas, Austin, USA
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COURSES
Apr.-Sept. 1998
Feb. 1992
Dec. 1986-Jan 1987
Internet, Internet and the Future
The Future of Public Transportation
Communication and Oral Presentation
SKILLS
Languages
English
French
Computer Skills
Oral
Fluent
Conversational
Written
Intermediate
Basic
User knowledge of Microsoft Office Package
Knowledge of HTML programming and intranet maintenance
INTERESTS
My interests include literature, swimming (board member of the swimming association)
and organizing activities at the local youth club.
REFEREES
Jan Knudsen Hanne Dietz
(Head of Department)
Dragor Kommune
Hovedgaden 20
2791 Dragor
Tel: 346678989
Hanne Dietz
(Chairman of Dragør Kommune swimming association)
Valmuevej 17
2300 Khb.S
Tel: 3423589890
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(Handout 9)
CV Sections
Personal details
Name, address, phone number, e-mail address are obvious basics; the employer will need to
know how to contact you - often they will prefer quicker methods of contact such as the
telephone to slower, one-way communication like a letter.
Date of birth, nationality and marital status are less obvious ones. However, they give
information about you which is sometimes important and which most employers expect anyway.
Nothing in these categories is by definition a benefit or a hindrance.
Age can indicate experience and maturity; foreign nationality can provide a different perspective
and cultural knowledge that can be useful; finally, being married can indicate stability and
responsibility.
Education
For most purposes, you should not include your entire education. If you have a Ph.D. no one is
going to be interested in your high school diploma. The important thing to remember is that your
most important and most recent education goes first and takes up most space. Remember to date
and place everything.
Work experience
Also here you should focus on your most recent employment and the work experience that is
most important for the new job you are applying for. Present the information in reverse
chronological order, but make sure to focus on what is most important.
Another important thing is to give the employer an idea of what you did. Do not just give him a
title; describe your job functions.
Finally voluntary work, job training and placements can also go under this heading. It is work
experience all the same.
Skills
This section may include such skills as driver’s license, language and computer skills. Skills that
you may or may not have obtained through education. You need to give some description of the
nature and the level of these skills. For example, how well do you speak a certain language, what
computer programs you used and can you drive mini-buses and vans or just regular cars.
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Interests
This section should not take up too much space. At the very least you should list a few interest to
give the employer a fuller picture of who you are. For this course we suggest you give a brief
description of what you did and what you learned from these interests.
Do not lie about your interests, but consider what impression they may give. For example it is
good to have interests that show you can work with and get along with people and assume
responsibility.
Referees
Referees are people who will provide the new employer with a reference, a good
recommendation, if asked. Former employers, academic supervisors and contacts from social or
organizational activities are good choices. Remember to ask them first though.
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(Handout 10)
Format for Writing Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose should be of two pages.
1st Paragraph
-
What is your aim in life?
Your career goal (for example: to pursue postgraduate/doctoral studies in that field)
Why you chosen this field?
2nd Paragraph
You should show your excellence in academics. It should be carefully crafted to show your
interest in a particular field from the very beginning. Try to show consistency towards the field
and write in short about the subjects you have covered (especially linked with your specialization
in the degree you are pursuing) in your bachelors.
3rd Paragraph
In this paragraph talk about the projects that you have done in your practical training, your paper
presentations, seminars or symposiums you attended. Try to link these previous experiences with
your field of interest, and make this paragraph very technical.
4th Paragraph
It should show your technical skills, managerial skills, personal skills, and interpersonal skills
that are related to the field of interest.
5th Paragraph
Extra-Curricular Activities
Students should include interests in sports, dramas, music,…, etc. You should include social
activities like:
- Being a member in any social clubs
- Doing any activities like blood donation camp or relief camps
- Organizational ability to organize an event in your college.
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Note: Be specific to mention number of students participating in these events.
6th Paragraph
1. It should be tailored to the University, showing your interest in the research activity of
the institution.
2. Use good language and show your skills.
3. You have to match your interest your research activity.
4. Visualize where you will be in the next 10 years.
Note: visit the website of the institution and read the latest in research that the institution has
adopted
7th Paragraph
Ending Paragraph- End you SoP with a request to be given a chance to be
accepted into the institution and how you look forward to attending and being part
of that institution.
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(Handout 11)
Statement of Purpose Sample
If one were to ask my friends to describe me they would describe me as a very pleasant, diverse,
active and intelligent woman. I think one of my most distinguishing characteristics is the
diversity of experiences I possess. I am a science student with a flair for the arts. I am a woman
with technical aptitude and an interest in management. I also have a passion for traveling and
understanding different cultures of the world. All these elements have given me a very broad
outlook, with varying degrees of knowledge in a range of topics. I strongly believe that although
some are not related directly, all these qualities will influence my graduate work.
My Engineering degree has given a strong foundation to my analytical skills since civil
designing involves a lot of long, complex and intricate calculations and the application of basic
math skills. Over the past four years, I have been working part-time with my family firm,
SnMTech Systems. I am also the co-founder and active member with FOE - Friends of the
Environment. I have assisted in the installation of Enterprise-wide Resource Planning (ERP)
System at Blotech, a major Engineering Company. More than what I have studied in school and
college, it has been these experiences that have shaped the person that I am today.
I believe that this unique blend of experiences has made me a woman with an original point of
view. This blend has given me a broader perspective to and a good understanding of life and a
goal to aim for. Among other things, I have this diversity of experience to offer Utah University.
My most substantial accomplishment has been the success of the software upgradation project
that I managed at SnMTech Systems Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, where I have been working as a part
time Associate Intern - Management Information Systems since 1994.
During the first two years of my work at SnMTech, I had an opportunity to observe and work
with the existing system being used. Some of the software packages being used were outdated
versions. I have always been in touch with the latest software packages thanks to the powerful
PC I have at home and am quite used to working with a Graphical User Interface (GUI)
environment. At the office, there was great deal of chaos while preparing reports that involved
use of more than one software since compatibility between packages usually posed a problem.
The difficulty we faced putting different files together led to the final report appearing rather
haphazard sometimes.
I believe in providing and maintaining non-negotiable high standards and service. I recognized
that shifting to a newer GUI based software would not only dramatically improve our
documentation quality, but also increase productivity at the workplace. Presenting the pros and
cons to the management of the upgradation was a very challenging task. I was asked to prepare a
28
proposal regarding the upgradation of the firm's software. Initially, I imagined this project would
be rather simple but it turned out to be among the most challenging and rewarding experiences of
my life.
Through a firm-wide survey of operators and several one-on-one discussions of their own
preferences and solutions, I found that while everybody wanted an upgradation, they had doubts
since they would have to learn a whole set of new skills. In order to prepare a budget, I procured
quotations from various vendors and analyzed possible combinations. I realized the necessity of
a training course for the operators because most of them were not familiar with the GUI
interface. I examined the various training classes that offered private in-house training for the
employees. After a detailed analysis, I presented my report to the management in the next
meeting. They were pleased with my efforts and pleasantly surprised at the cost of the project
since it seemed to be comparatively less than what they had anticipated.
Once I was given the go-ahead, the next hurdle was to implement the proposal and coordinate
the upgrading. To avoid any disturbance to the company's work, training sessions were planned
after working hours. The upgrading took a week and the training of the operators took another
two weeks. The really tough period started once the training personnel left. The management felt
that it was my responsibility to see that the operators didn't face any problems once they actually
started using the new software packages. I put in 60 to 70-hour weeks for the next three weeks
before everyone was comfortable with the new system. While the benefits of using these
packages were not immediately tangible, a few months later our clients acknowledged that the
quality of the reports we sent them had improved considerably. In fact, a year later our firm
decided to upgrade all of its software packages. I consider this to be a tacit compliment for my
efforts.
This project required me to believe in myself and in what I thought was good for the company. I
had to take a pro-active approach, take the initiative and play a leadership role in motivating
people and executing the project to completion A good manager is one who can figure out where
the problem lies, deal with it effectively by involving all the members of the company and
improve the overall culture of the company. The problem I saw at SnMTech had to be resolved
to sustain the company's image. The fact that I was able to pull off this task alone has boosted
my confidence in my abilities.
29